Reformation Sunday, Halloween, All Saint's Day, & Daylight Savings Time
Today is Reformation Sunday, and so in observance of the occasion, I worshipped at a Lutheran church this morning. It was Lutheran Church in the Foothills in La Canada, California - just seven miles away. We got to sing some great songs: A Mighty Fortress, The Church's One Foundation, and Lift High the Cross. There was a nice sermon preached on justification by faith, and the place was decked out in red (the liturgical color for Reformation Sunday). I should mention that I started the day with breakfast at Starbuck's where I enjoyed some coffee cake, chai, and a biography of Martin Luther. All in all, the day was a well-rounded observance of an often overlooked occasion.
Tomorrow, as you know, is Halloween, and I think I've done more Halloween stuff this year than the last three years combined. Last weekend a bunch of friends came over and we all carved pumpkins. Two were left here and joined mine on our balcony. Those three have since been deposited in the dumpster, and not a moment too soon. They were pretty gross. Last night I carved a new one and it is now glowing in the Pasadena night. Friday night was the annual Harvest Fest here at Fuller, where I unveiled one of the best costumes I've had in years. I purchased it at a party supply store. This year I am a Roman god. Hopefully, I'll get a picture up of it. Everyone assumes I'm Caesar, and when you taken into account Roman emperor-worship it kinda works. I wore it again this evening at the Fall Family Festival at FBC Pasadena, where I staffed the ring toss booth. I know that's been a lot, but the Halloween fun isn't over yet. Tomorrow I plan to trick or treat with the youth group from FBCP. After that, it will finally be over. I will put the costume in my Halloween box and take it to the basement, and the pumpkins will get tossed. Not a speck of Halloween paraphernalia will see more than one day of November!
Which brings me to the third significant day in a row - All Saint's Day. Normally it would pass without notice, but I preached an All Saint's Day sermon in my preaching class on Friday. I was up 'til 3:00 that morning working on it, and I got a lot of positive feedback from my classmates. Instead of commenting more, maybe I'll just let you read it. Before I post that though, let me mention that daylight savings time has kicked in and it was dark here around 5:30. It will only get worse before it gets better. It's just about 7:00 now, but it feels like 9:00. Anyway...here is my sermon. Enjoy and let me know what you think. (Ignore the stuff in parentheses, that was part of the assignment.)
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Text: Ephesians 1:15-23 (It will make more sense if you read it!)
(All Saints’ Day?) This coming Tuesday, November 1st, is All-Saints’ Day, or, as it may be better known in evangelical circles – the day after Halloween. I could be wrong, but I suspect for many of us here at Fuller Seminary, for many of us in this room today, All-Saints’ Day has not been a familiar day on our calendar. Those among us who come from more liturgical traditions may be able to offer some instruction, but the rest of us probably don’t have a clue about why we should celebrate All Saints’ Day. How many saints could one of us even name? Probably not very many. Sure we know a few – St. Patrick, St. Valentine, St. Nicholas – but outside of those associated with popular holidays it would be hard to come up with a very good list. And even if I could name a long list of saints, I certainly wouldn’t be able to tell you much, if anything, about any of them.
(What’s a saint?) But maybe we’re thinking the wrong way about saints here. What is it that makes a saint? There is a complicated process for becoming an “official” saint, in say, the Roman Catholic Church. But none of that was in place when Ephesians was written. (Answer) The passage read today uses the word saints twice, and the Greek word that has been translated into English as saints actually means holy ones or ones set apart to or by God. It may even be translated simply as “God’s people.” Perhaps looking at it this way can put All Saints Day into a better perspective for us.
(Forward Illustration) The epistle to the Ephesians is widely believed to have been a circular letter, which means it wasn’t sent only to the church in Ephesus but was passed around as a piece of general advice to several churches. You might say then, that Ephesians is an example of a “forward” from the first century. Thankfully, the author did not end the letter saying something like “If you really love Jesus you will send this to at least five other churches in the next three days.” We have all received many of those and I usually delete them without reading.
(Connection of Illustration) The other day though, I received a forward that I decided to read. This one asks you to name people in all kinds of important categories. Nobel Prize winners, sports MVPs, past Miss Americas, and members of the president’s cabinet. Unless you are a trivia genius, you’ll have a hard time naming most of these people. Then it asks you to name other kinds of people. Teachers who had an impact on you. People you enjoy spending time with. Friends who have helped you through a difficult time. Those people are much easier to name. In the same way, it may be hard to think of a lot of the official saints and why they have earned that title, but it is much easier to think of many others who are what you might call “everyday saints” or simply God’s people. A Sunday School teacher from your childhood, a friend who led you to faith, church members who cooked dinners for your family when someone close to you passed away, those who encouraged you to follow God’s call and go to seminary, and the countless others who have encouraged, comforted, or challenged you in some way on your journey of faith. All these are saints too and we celebrate them along with those portrayed in stained glass windows, frescoes, and icons.
(Context of the Text) Now when the writer of Ephesians sent his forward out, he was writing to Christians who found themselves in some tough circumstances. Greco-Roman society in the first century was incredibly pluralistic and syncretistic. The church was small and the challenges facing it were great. The church of Jesus Christ was merely one option, and perhaps not a particularly delectable one, on a veritable smorgasbord of religious options. Evidence shows that no fewer than 23 deities were worshipped in the city of Ephesus during this time, and certainly not least among them was Artemis Ephesia, in whose honor was built a temple that was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World! One Greek historian declared that the size of this temple surpassed all known buildings! Christians in Ephesus did not get so much respect. They were living in a cardboard box in the shadow of the Sears Tower!
(Context of the Listeners) Well, by the time this letter makes it into our inbox, things are a little bit different. The church in 21st century North America is by no means small among religious groups, and we certainly have our own fancy temples. The Crystal Cathedral may not surpass all known buildings, but it’s not too shabby. On the other hand though, some things aren’t so different. The church may still be big, but it is shrinking. The people of the 21st century, just like those in the first, have plenty of options to choose from in religion and spirituality. In both instances, the church may seem irrelevant to many.
(The Power of God) These first century Christians have something going for them, however. The author says “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” He tells them that he prays that God will give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation so they may know that they have hope, so they may know the glorious inheritance of the saints, so they may know the immeasurable greatness of the power of God! This power of God is the power that raised Christ from the dead. It is the power that seated him at God’s right hand. It is the power that put Christ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. It is the power that put him far above every name that is named in this age and the one to come. It is the power that put all things under the feet of Christ. It is the power that made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body and his fullness!
(Connection to Theme) The church is the fullness of Christ. The church - the people of God, the saints - the church is the fullness of Christ. Therefore, may others hear, just as they did of these Christians in the first century, not only of our faith in the Lord Jesus, but also of our love for all the saints. Let us stay connected indeed to all saints, to the church, for the church is the fullness of Christ and with that fullness comes great power, a power that will prevent Christ’s church from ever being irrelevant.
(The Message) So brothers and sisters in Christ, here’s a message for All Saints’ Day: we need each other. Those of us who may have never heard of All Saints’ Day before need those who have grown up with it and other traditions like it all their lives. We need all the saints. We need the ones who are honored with statues and paintings and we need the ones who stay up all night at youth group lock-ins, the ones who have become national heroes and the ones who supply all the best casseroles for church potlucks. We need missionaries in the far-off reaches of the earth, and we need volunteers for vacation Bible school. We need churches that reconcile instead of churches that split – because we need each other.
(Concluding Words) Now, this may sound a little cheesy, but I think we’re fortunate to be at this seminary where such a broad cross-section of the worldwide church is present. Since the church is the fullness of Christ, and we have so much of the church here, this may truly be a “fuller” seminary. You may not forward that one on to your friends, but remember that this All Saints’ Day we all have something to celebrate, no matter what our tradition may be, for all of us are part of one church, which is the fullness of Christ, who fills all in all. Thanks be to God!
Tomorrow, as you know, is Halloween, and I think I've done more Halloween stuff this year than the last three years combined. Last weekend a bunch of friends came over and we all carved pumpkins. Two were left here and joined mine on our balcony. Those three have since been deposited in the dumpster, and not a moment too soon. They were pretty gross. Last night I carved a new one and it is now glowing in the Pasadena night. Friday night was the annual Harvest Fest here at Fuller, where I unveiled one of the best costumes I've had in years. I purchased it at a party supply store. This year I am a Roman god. Hopefully, I'll get a picture up of it. Everyone assumes I'm Caesar, and when you taken into account Roman emperor-worship it kinda works. I wore it again this evening at the Fall Family Festival at FBC Pasadena, where I staffed the ring toss booth. I know that's been a lot, but the Halloween fun isn't over yet. Tomorrow I plan to trick or treat with the youth group from FBCP. After that, it will finally be over. I will put the costume in my Halloween box and take it to the basement, and the pumpkins will get tossed. Not a speck of Halloween paraphernalia will see more than one day of November!
Which brings me to the third significant day in a row - All Saint's Day. Normally it would pass without notice, but I preached an All Saint's Day sermon in my preaching class on Friday. I was up 'til 3:00 that morning working on it, and I got a lot of positive feedback from my classmates. Instead of commenting more, maybe I'll just let you read it. Before I post that though, let me mention that daylight savings time has kicked in and it was dark here around 5:30. It will only get worse before it gets better. It's just about 7:00 now, but it feels like 9:00. Anyway...here is my sermon. Enjoy and let me know what you think. (Ignore the stuff in parentheses, that was part of the assignment.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Text: Ephesians 1:15-23 (It will make more sense if you read it!)
(All Saints’ Day?) This coming Tuesday, November 1st, is All-Saints’ Day, or, as it may be better known in evangelical circles – the day after Halloween. I could be wrong, but I suspect for many of us here at Fuller Seminary, for many of us in this room today, All-Saints’ Day has not been a familiar day on our calendar. Those among us who come from more liturgical traditions may be able to offer some instruction, but the rest of us probably don’t have a clue about why we should celebrate All Saints’ Day. How many saints could one of us even name? Probably not very many. Sure we know a few – St. Patrick, St. Valentine, St. Nicholas – but outside of those associated with popular holidays it would be hard to come up with a very good list. And even if I could name a long list of saints, I certainly wouldn’t be able to tell you much, if anything, about any of them.
(What’s a saint?) But maybe we’re thinking the wrong way about saints here. What is it that makes a saint? There is a complicated process for becoming an “official” saint, in say, the Roman Catholic Church. But none of that was in place when Ephesians was written. (Answer) The passage read today uses the word saints twice, and the Greek word that has been translated into English as saints actually means holy ones or ones set apart to or by God. It may even be translated simply as “God’s people.” Perhaps looking at it this way can put All Saints Day into a better perspective for us.
(Forward Illustration) The epistle to the Ephesians is widely believed to have been a circular letter, which means it wasn’t sent only to the church in Ephesus but was passed around as a piece of general advice to several churches. You might say then, that Ephesians is an example of a “forward” from the first century. Thankfully, the author did not end the letter saying something like “If you really love Jesus you will send this to at least five other churches in the next three days.” We have all received many of those and I usually delete them without reading.
(Connection of Illustration) The other day though, I received a forward that I decided to read. This one asks you to name people in all kinds of important categories. Nobel Prize winners, sports MVPs, past Miss Americas, and members of the president’s cabinet. Unless you are a trivia genius, you’ll have a hard time naming most of these people. Then it asks you to name other kinds of people. Teachers who had an impact on you. People you enjoy spending time with. Friends who have helped you through a difficult time. Those people are much easier to name. In the same way, it may be hard to think of a lot of the official saints and why they have earned that title, but it is much easier to think of many others who are what you might call “everyday saints” or simply God’s people. A Sunday School teacher from your childhood, a friend who led you to faith, church members who cooked dinners for your family when someone close to you passed away, those who encouraged you to follow God’s call and go to seminary, and the countless others who have encouraged, comforted, or challenged you in some way on your journey of faith. All these are saints too and we celebrate them along with those portrayed in stained glass windows, frescoes, and icons.
(Context of the Text) Now when the writer of Ephesians sent his forward out, he was writing to Christians who found themselves in some tough circumstances. Greco-Roman society in the first century was incredibly pluralistic and syncretistic. The church was small and the challenges facing it were great. The church of Jesus Christ was merely one option, and perhaps not a particularly delectable one, on a veritable smorgasbord of religious options. Evidence shows that no fewer than 23 deities were worshipped in the city of Ephesus during this time, and certainly not least among them was Artemis Ephesia, in whose honor was built a temple that was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World! One Greek historian declared that the size of this temple surpassed all known buildings! Christians in Ephesus did not get so much respect. They were living in a cardboard box in the shadow of the Sears Tower!
(Context of the Listeners) Well, by the time this letter makes it into our inbox, things are a little bit different. The church in 21st century North America is by no means small among religious groups, and we certainly have our own fancy temples. The Crystal Cathedral may not surpass all known buildings, but it’s not too shabby. On the other hand though, some things aren’t so different. The church may still be big, but it is shrinking. The people of the 21st century, just like those in the first, have plenty of options to choose from in religion and spirituality. In both instances, the church may seem irrelevant to many.
(The Power of God) These first century Christians have something going for them, however. The author says “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” He tells them that he prays that God will give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation so they may know that they have hope, so they may know the glorious inheritance of the saints, so they may know the immeasurable greatness of the power of God! This power of God is the power that raised Christ from the dead. It is the power that seated him at God’s right hand. It is the power that put Christ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. It is the power that put him far above every name that is named in this age and the one to come. It is the power that put all things under the feet of Christ. It is the power that made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body and his fullness!
(Connection to Theme) The church is the fullness of Christ. The church - the people of God, the saints - the church is the fullness of Christ. Therefore, may others hear, just as they did of these Christians in the first century, not only of our faith in the Lord Jesus, but also of our love for all the saints. Let us stay connected indeed to all saints, to the church, for the church is the fullness of Christ and with that fullness comes great power, a power that will prevent Christ’s church from ever being irrelevant.
(The Message) So brothers and sisters in Christ, here’s a message for All Saints’ Day: we need each other. Those of us who may have never heard of All Saints’ Day before need those who have grown up with it and other traditions like it all their lives. We need all the saints. We need the ones who are honored with statues and paintings and we need the ones who stay up all night at youth group lock-ins, the ones who have become national heroes and the ones who supply all the best casseroles for church potlucks. We need missionaries in the far-off reaches of the earth, and we need volunteers for vacation Bible school. We need churches that reconcile instead of churches that split – because we need each other.
(Concluding Words) Now, this may sound a little cheesy, but I think we’re fortunate to be at this seminary where such a broad cross-section of the worldwide church is present. Since the church is the fullness of Christ, and we have so much of the church here, this may truly be a “fuller” seminary. You may not forward that one on to your friends, but remember that this All Saints’ Day we all have something to celebrate, no matter what our tradition may be, for all of us are part of one church, which is the fullness of Christ, who fills all in all. Thanks be to God!
posted by R. T. Bailey at 6:47 PM
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